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J n, 13, 1925. R 15,983

P. P. LA MONTAGNE PROCESS OF KNITTING, HOSIERY Original Fild'may 23, 1921 reciprocating h 2 p\u'm circular 4 plain circular PaTri cK F. LnMon'iugnc lieissued Jan. 13, 1925 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE. j

PATRICK B. IDNTAGNE, OF BOUBBONNAIS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY 'M'ESNE AS SIGNMENTS, TO POPE MACHINE COMPANY, OF KAN-KAK E-E, ILLINOIS, A QORPOBAH iron or ILLINOIS.

raocr'ss or xnr'r rme 1105mm.

Original 1T0. 1,514,623, dated November I}, 19.24, Serial No. 471,643, filed Mai, 1921. Application tor reissue filed December 10, 1924. Serial No.'755,019.

, Toall whomitmdy concern: I

, Be it known that I, PA'rnrcK P.

MONTAGNE, a 'citizen of the Unlted States, residing at Bourbonnais, county of Kankakee, State of Illinois,have invented an Im provement in Processes of Kmtting I siery, of which the following descriptlon, in

connection with the accompanying drawing,

isa specification, like characters on the drawing representinglike' parts.

This invention relates to a process of knitting machine made hosiery or stockings and. the main object of the inventlon is to provide a process or nethod for the knitting of ribbed leg stockings from toe to top inseries with each stocking separated from the succeeding stocking and with the top left ready for finishing. This invention also relates to a process for preventing or eliminating so called double or multiple headers in starting plain knitting as on the cylinder needles of a hosiery knitting machine. v

Theseand other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from v the accompanying description and drawing and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

- The single figure ofdrawing illustrates somewhat diagrammatically a. form of stocking produced by' the process of this invention.

The process in its prefer circular knit 'ng machine with a set of cylinder needles and mechanism by means of which either plain circular or reciproeating work may be knit thereon and a set of dial needles and mechanism by means of which, in conjunction with the cylinder needles, circular ribbed work ma The invention also preferably ma es use of such a machine. in which the needles revolve while the cams by which they are operated remain stationary. The' so called involving cylinder type of knitting machines is extensively employed among other or method of this invention reasons because of the facility with Whichmachlne appropriate for carrying out .thei

preferred forms of the p w of tlusmsupport an (1 form involves the-use of'a be lmit.

cationNo. 493,595 filed August 19, 1921;

If the stockings are knit on the revolving knit, the web must be severed between successive stockings. This operation requires the. long-length of knitted web to be supported and revolved at the same high speed as the revolving cylinder and also to'be supported and bodily reciprocated as the revolving'cylinder reciprocates during the knitting of the heel and toe sections.- This -vention is disclosed in detail in my applii i operation also requires a material section of useless or wasteweb to be knit betweeh the end, of each stocking and the beginning of the succeeding stocking to enable the separating out to be made and the, web

ravelled back or removed to the finishing edges ofthe stockings.

By the method here employed, the yarn or thread is severed at the completion of each stocking'so that the web at the end of each stocking is knit off from the needles. Thus, the only portion of the web which is rotated and reciprocated during the knitting operation is a single stocking length. Such a length of web is sufficiently supported b the needles, needs no other I is revolved or reciprocated with the needlecylinder without detriment to the operation or to the fabric. The yarn or thread is also preferabl severed at a point such that each stocking is knit.ofi leaving the stocking of the required length ready for finishin Various metho s may be employed for a finishing the edge of the stocking. Thls edge may be overseamed or turned back andsecured to the web to form a hem or welt but as the particular finish or methods of finishing forms no part of the present invention further description is unnecessqryo I v The'important feature is that each stocking leaves the knitting machine of precisely the required length, rendering it unnecessary to ravel back or remove and waste any yarn beyond that-caused by the particular finishing operation employed.

In the method of this invention,,the knitting proceeds from the toe to the top of the stocking;

Consequently during the kintting of t e plain work of the toe, foot,

. heel and ankle portions, only'the cylinder needles are in .operation.

The change is then made to the ribbed work forming the leg by throwing into action'the dial needles.

r well known cordingly knitted at from plain While this procedure by itself is 01 there is a great advantage in thus knittingfrom the footto the legend thus making t e change toribbed work or from knitting on the cylinder-needles to knitting on both the cylinder'and dial needles. If the knitting [proceeded in the opposite direction it woul be necessary to secure the stitches dropped by the dial needles, as the dial nee es went out of action ribbed'to plain'work. It is, therefore, an important feature of the method of this invention that the knitting operation proceed from the foot to' the leg.

Another important feature of the methodof this invention concerns the proper starting of the knitting of each stockingm At the beginning of the stocking, the toe;sectionlis first formed by plain reciprocating knitting. lVhen the stocking is completed, the edges of the toe section are placed on the pins of a looping machine and secured together and familiar operations. It is customary and desirable first, however, to knit a short section of plain circular work which as the sewing operation roceeds or after it is finished is trimmed o In starting the knitting operation, the yarn guide or guides are moved to position the yarn'so as to be caught by the cylinder needles, thus to'knit the preliminary section of plain circular work or, if such a section is not utilized, the plain reciprocating work forming thetoe section. But it is almost impossible in starting the knitting operation on plain work to revent two or more of the cylinder needles unction'ing as a single needle and thus producing what are known as double or multlple headers which damage or destroy the web. The method of this invention obviates this difliculty in the starting of the knitting of each stocking by the novel step of starting the knitting as in ribbed work,

that is by knitting with both the cylinder and dial needles in operation. There is no difliculty in properly feeding the yarn "at the start to the needles when both sets of cylinder and dial needles are in action. One or more rounds as the start, thus preventing the formation of double headers. The dial needles are then thrown out of action casting oil the loops accumulated thereon and the knitting continues on plain work, preferably a short section of plain circular work being knitted before made to the plain reciprocating work form WVhen are knit as in iug the toe section of the stocking. the first course or courses in passing from in ribbed Work,

ting of a ting of the preliminary round in ribbed work are ac the change is ribbedwork in accordance with the method of this invention,'there may really be no ribbed work formed because of the lack of a tension on the web suflicient to secure casting ofl the needles inaction. Consequently, only a few courses can be'knit in this] way as some of the stitches will pile up on the needles.

the yarn in between'the and thus insure each! ing individual]; .in forming the stitch. \Vhen the dial needles are thrown out :of action, the .sinkers place the necessary casting ofl' tension on the web. But these sinkers do not place sufiicient tension at starting' on plainwork .to push the'yarn Well cylinder needles between thecylinder needles when starting and thus double or, multiple headers occur.

a If for any reason the knitting operation is started with the cylinder needles alone in operation, the double headers formed are uring the knitting of these, courses, however, the dialneedles act topul-l cylinder needle acteliminated by throwing the dial needles into action and knittingone or more rounds as Then the dial needles are thrown out of action and the knitting of plain work proceeds as before. The forma tion of double or multi le-headers is thus either prevented or elimlnated by the knit- .As this invention is concerned only with I the method or process of knitting, the particular construction and mechanism of the machine employed is unimportant and may be of any suitable or des'i'red form. The necessary tension ontheweb to provide for. the knitting oil of the web fromthe needles, in action may besecured manneras b i the" sinkerscommonly employed'in sucli machines. or if necessary, by

the provision of suitable take-up mechanism 6 a such for example as an automatically controlledclaw or grab seizing the web in the interior at the proper. time to insure a sub-- stantially uniform tension and compensate for the inequalities in the web produced by the formation of the heel and toe sections or pock ets.- Such a mechanism is shown in my aforesaid application No. 493.595. i The practicing of the preferred form of the method or process of this invention will be readily understood fron'rthe foregoing 'reliminary round or rounds of fitted for knitting one i in any suitable nation of such headersis stockings.

' knitting plain work explanation and may be assisted by reference to the accompanying knitted webformmg a single stocking. The first step consists in more temporary courses or rounds 1 as.1n ribbed work with both the cylinder and dial needles in action whereby the formation of double or multiple headers is prevented or whereby, it a preceding section of plain circular work has been started, the elimi secured.

The second step consists in knitting a short section 2 of one or more rounds oi plain circular work, the dial needles being thrown out of action and the knitting proform this section. I v

The third step consists'in knitting the toe section 3, the foot 4, the heel sectlon 5 and the ankle 6, on the cylinder needles alone,

the toe and heel sections being knitted by reciprocating work in the usual manner.

,The fourth step consists in knittin the leg 7 in ribbed work on both the. cylinder and dial needles until the required length is obtained.

The. fifth stepiconsists in severing the yarn or yarns being fed to the needles when the required length of leg has been reached and thus knitting the web off from the needles and leaving the stocking ready for the finishing operation.

ner after it drops from the machine as by a looping operation. The sections 1 and 2 are trimmed oft or removed beforesdurmg or after the looping operation as desired.

.It is obvious that other ste s in'the knitting operation may be adde to those re cited, depending upon the character ofwork being knit.

Itis also apparent that theroces's of this invention in the feature of t e prevention or elimination of double or multiple headplication ban to Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is: g

1. The process of knitting a series of complete stockings on a revolving needle cylinder and dial, a set of cylinder needles and-aset of dial needles in which the knitting proceeds from the toe to the top and comprises the repetitionot the following series of steps: one or more rounds as in ribbed work with both sets of needles in action, thus to prevent or eliminate multiple headers; second, throwing the dialneedles out of action and on the cylinder needles to form the toe. foot, heel and ankle; third, throwing the dial needles into action and drawing illustrating somewhat diagrammatically a section of knitting one or ceeding on the cylinder 'needles alone to The stockingis finished in the usual manv ers in star ing plain work is of broader ap-' the knitting of complete machine having a first, knitting knitting ribbed work with both sets of needles to'form the leg; and fourth, severing the yarn'and knitting the fabric 'oil from the needles, thus leaving of:the requir ed len th ready for finishing.

2. The process 0% knitting a series of complete stockings on a machine having two sets of needles, the first set,.when in action, knitting-plain work, and both sets, when in action, knitting ribbed work which comprises thelfollowing steps": first, knittin one or more rounds as in-ribbed work witii both sets of needles in action but with insuflicient tension on the web to insure casting oft irom the second set of needles, thus to prevent or eliminate multiple headers; second, throwing out of action and casting ofl? any loops accumulated thereon and knitting plain'work on the first set of needles; and third, throwing the second set of needles into action and The process of knitting a series of complete stockings on a machine having a set of cylinder needles and a set ofdial needles in which the knitting proceeds. from the toe to the top and comprises .the repetition of the following series of steps: knitting one or more rounds as in ribbed work with both sets of needles in action, thuslto prevent or eliminate multiple headers; second, throwing the dial needles out of action and knitting plain work on the cylinl' der needles to form the toe, foot. heel and ankle; third throwing the dial needles into act-ion and knitting sets of needles to form the leg; and fourth,

severing the yarn and knitting the fabric :6 for tinishoff from the needles, thus leaving the stocking of the requiredlength ready headers in the starting of the knitting 0 plain web on a machine having a set of needles for knitting plain work which consists in feeding yarn to catching the yarn is-fed thereto, in holding the yarn thus caught until all the needles have taken the Y yarn and knit at least one course, and in then releasing the yarn.

5. The process of preventing multiple headers in'the starting ofthe-kn tting of a plain web on a machine having a set=oi needles for knitting plain work which consists in catching and holding the yarn adjacent each needle until that needle has taken the yarn and knit at i in then releasing the yarn.

.6. The process of preventing multiple headers in the-startirr of the knitting of a plain web on a mac iine having a set of needles for knitting plain work and a set of instrumentalities for catching and holding the second set of needles 4. The process of preventing multiple the said needles, in. adjacent'each needle as it the stocking ribbed work with both least one course, and. i

i 9 action, knitting ribbed work,

. yarn and knit at least one lar web sections on a 1 the yarn adjacent each needle which-consists in feeding the yarn to the said needles and the said instrumentalities and in releasing the yarn from the said instrumentalities after the adjacent needles have caught the course. 7

The process of knitting a series of simi: machine having two sets of needles, the first set, when in action, knitting plain work and both sets, when' in action, knitting ribbed work, which comprises the repetition of the following series of steps: first, knitting one or more courses as in ribbed'workwith both sets of needles in action, but'with insuflicient' tension on the web to insure casting off from the second set of needles, thus to prevent multiple head.-

ers, second, throwing the needles of the sec- 0nd set out of action'and casting the yarn ofi therefrom, third, knitting plain work on the first set of needles, fourth, throwing the second set of needles into action and knitand, fifth, severing the 2 i g in then feeding the yarn to ting ribbed work with both sets of needles, yarn and knitting the web section off from the needles.

,8. The process of knitting a series of similar web sections on a machinehaving two sets (if needles, the first knitting plain work vand both sets, when in which com prises the repetition of the following series of steps: first, feedin the yarn to the needles with both sets of nee les in action and knitting one or more courses as in ribbed work, but with insuflicient tension on the web to insure casting off from the second set of needles, thus to prevent multiple headers, second, throwing the needles of the second set out of action and casting the yarn ofl' therefrom, third, knitting plain work on the first set of needles, fourth, throwing the second set of needles into action and knitting ribbed work with both sets-of needles, and,'fifth, severing the yarn and knitting the web sec= tion oil from the needles. f r v '9. The process of knitting a series of web sections, each having in the permanent web courses of plain work knit before, and followed by, courses of" ribbed work, on a machine having two sets of needles, the first set of which knits plain work and in cooperation with the which consists in severin the yarn and dropping off each successive web section from the machine when it is completed, and the needles and knitting one or more temporary courses 'which ensure the beginning of the plain work of the succeedin perfect courses, and 1n t cesslve plain and rlbbed web sections with en knitting the sucwork courses of the said succeeding web section.

set, when in action,

second set knits ribbed work,

proceeds from completed, and in then feeding the yarn to p v the needles, and knitting rary courses which ensure, the beginning of the plain work toe of the succeeding stockingsection with perfect courses, and in then knitting the successive plain and ribbed work courses of the said succeeding stocking section. I, 11. The process of knitting a series of web sections, each having in the permanent web courses of plain work knit before, and followed by,'c0urses of ribbed work, on a ma-' chine having two sets of needles, the first set of which knits plain work and in cooperation with the second set knits ribbed work,

which consists in severing dropping off eacl from the machine when it is completed, and in then feeding the yarn to both sets of needles, in holding the yarn by the needles of r the second set until the needles ofthe first set have knit at least one course, in then casting the yarn off from the needles of the sec- 7 0nd set, and in then knitting the successive plain and ribbed work courses of the said succeeding web section, courses are ensured in the knitting of the plain-work tion.

.. 12, The process of knitting a series. of complete ribbed leg, plain work toe stockings, in which the knitting proceeds from the toe to the top, sets of needles, the first of which knits plain work and in co-operation with the second nits ribbed work, which consists in severing the yarn and dropping ofi' each succeeding stocking section from the completed, in then feeding the yarn to both sets ofineedles, in holding'the yarn by the needles of the second set until the needles of ,the first set have knit: at least one course, in then casting the yarn off from the needles of the second set, and in then knitting the successive plain and ribbed work courscsof the said succeeding stocking section, whereby perfect courses are. ensured in the beginning of the knitting of the plain work of each stocking section. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

PATRICK r. m MONTAGNE.

beginning of the of each web secone or more tempothe yarn and i successive web SGCtIOII whereby perfect machine when itis 

